Why should the private industry reap the rewards from the research (especially the foundational R&D) that the taxpayers have paid for?
This is the type of government intervention that we are ok with. Or pretend is not there.
Of course, the profit motive is like death from a thousand cuts with this type of thing. It’s where profit motive is inverse to efficiency. Actually taken to its cynical extreme, sick and unhealthy people are good for the economy and giving them unnecessary expensive procedures is even better. It’s what the system incentivizes. A nation of healthy people would destroy the healthcare industry[/quote]
Precisely, Arraya. A conspiracy theorist might wonder if this is why we allow food suppliers (not to mention the cosmetic & household goods industries, etc.) to sell food with all kinds of toxins and additives that have been banned in those “evil, socialist” countries.